"Jugoslavia, now putting up a bold show in the World Cup will play England at Highbury on November 22. This was announced at the F.A. Council meeting at St. Anne's-on-Sea yesterday. It was also decided that England's World Cup team will meet a Canadian touring side for charity on September 20 or 21. This will take the place of the annual match between the Cup-winners and League champions. The game will be in London, probably at Stamford Bridge." - Thursday, 29 June 1950, Daily Herald.
  

England's unbeaten home record against continental opposition remained intact, but they all but threw away this game after, at one time, being in a commanding position.

After a slow start, the big crowd was lulled into a false sense of security as England worked themselves into a convincing 2-0 lead after 35 minutes.

The home forwards forced the Yugoslav defenders into errors with their positive play and both Johnny Hancocks and Les Medley had the beating of their markers. The Yugoslavian goalkeeper, Beara, once a ballet dancer, was soon showing his agility.

In the 28th minute he made an unbelievable point-blank save from the debutant Nat Lofthouse after Medley had just previously hit the far post, but a minute later England deservedly took the lead. A long pass by Eddie Baily bounced beyond Stankovic for Medley to sweep the ball into the middle where Lofthouse left Beara helpless.

Five minutes later it was 2-0. Jimmy Dickinson fed Hancocks on the right and there was Lofthouse again to play his part with a glorious header into the far corner from a perfect cross. It seemed all over at this stage but how wrong that assumption was.

With only five minutes of the second half gone [ed. four-five minutes before half-time], the first hint of what lay ahead arrived. Willie Watson, dallying with the ball on his own goal-line, was robbed by Orgjanon. His cross seemed harmless enough but alas Leslie Compton, in trying to shield Bert Williams, only succeeded in diverting the ball into his own net for an unnecessary goal which unfortunately was to completely change the course of the game.

In the next minute Zivanovic forced Williams into a fine diving save. England then tried desperately to reaffirm their first-half superiority and but for Beara's performance in goal they would have done. Three times in as many minutes he made flying saves from Wilf Mannion and how he kept out Lofthouse's header from a Hancock's centre defied belief.

With half an hour to play, the England team faded. Inspired by Beara's saves the Yugoslavia side suddenly took control. With the outstanding Bobek pulling all the strings and good support coming from Cajkovski and Djajic they were making full use of their fine footwork.

In the 78th minute they finally scored their deserved equaliser. Again England's defence was badly at fault with Bobek's first shot needlessly blocked by Alf Ramsey when Williams was in position behind him. The rebound went straight to Zivanovic and in a flash it was 2-2.

Only Dickinson, Bill Eckersley, Hancocks and the impressive Lofthouse looked their true selves and the second half had been a real struggle for England. To their credit, though, they almost snatched  victory near the end only to find man-of-the-match Beara once again barring the way.
  

Bolton centre-forward Nat Lofthouse announced his arrival on the international stage with two goals. It was the first time in post-war football that England had gone into action without either Matthews or Finney. Leslie Compton deflected the ball into his own net, and Yugoslavia forced a late equaliser to become the first Continental side to avoid defeat in England in a full international. Lofty scored his two goals in a five minute spell midway through the first-half. The Yugoslavs fought back bravely and their equaliser in the 72nd minute was reward for a battling performance against an England team that wasted at least five good scoring chances. Their goalkeeper, Beara, a former ball dancer, pulled off three blinding saves as England stormed forward in vain search of a late winner.
   

For the next International, against Yugoslavia at Highbury, on November 22nd, the selectors were faced with a difficult decision — whether, in view of the different style of continental play, to give the same team another run. It was decided to play Hancocks and Lofthouse in the forward line, and substitute Eckersley for Smith.
England were definitely on top in the first half, and for the first 35 minutes showed real co-ordination both in attack and defence. They fully deserved their first goal, which came after 30 minutes, when a long pass from Baily was swept into the middle by Medley for Lofthouse to leave the Yugoslav goalkeeper helpless. Five minutes later, after a movement by Dickinson and Hancocks, Lofthouse again scored. England now seemed to have the game under control, until, five minutes before the interval, Compton touched the ball inside his own post, and left England only one up.
England attacked again at the beginning of the second half, and there were some magnificent saves by Beara, the Yugoslav goalkeeper. Yugoslavia now revived. The English forwards lost all rhythm and the defence was hard pressed again and again. At last, with only 12 minutes to go, Zivanovic equalised for Yugoslavia after a bad defensive blunder. In the last few minutes England made great efforts, in which Dickinson, Hancocks, Eckersley and Lofthouse were prominent, to regain the lead, but Yugoslavia's defence held. The Yugoslav team left the field, the first Continental team to remain undefeated in England in a full international.
   

 

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